Meanwhile, in Milan: Karl Lagerfeld’s Final Fendi Show Goes On

Fashion month waits for no man, and it continued to forge ahead in Milan on Thursday, when Fendi presented its final runway designed by the late Karl Lagerfeld.

The designer, who died on Tuesday, may have made his mark at Chanel, but he held his role at Fendi even longer. The Italian luxury house appointed him creative director in the mid-60s, where he focused on fur, the backbone of the brand, and later launched ready-to-wear.

For his last hurrah, Lagerfeld showed double-breasted overcoats; starched Barrymore collars imported in from the 70s, buttoned all the way up; and a large helping of khaki dotted with yellow patent. The programs distributed in the show’s seats on Thursday included a card insert that had an “F” with a heart drawn in place of the letter’s bar, a Karl-ism. On the back, the date of his death was embossed. The brand printed “Love Karl” in his own handwriting above the runway, so models Adwoa Aboah, Kaia Gerber, and the sisters Hadid walked under it. At the end of the show, a video played that celebrated “54 years together” and featured the designer’s drawings. By the standards of the larger-than-life Lagerfeld, it was a quiet tribute, though the work was quintessentially his.

In 2019, staying at a job for more than half a century is an unheard of accomplishment. After appreciating that, the fast-paced fashion industry began to puzzle over what’s next for the brands that are so intertwined with Lagerfeld’s legacy. Chanel announced Lagerfeld’s successor would be Virginie Viard, who had long been his second in command. Viard appeared on runways with him beginning last year, and when he was not feeling up to appearing at the end of his couture show in January, he asked her to “represent him and greet the guests.” Looking back, it was a hint at his successor. The last Chanel show to feature his work will take place on March 5 in Paris.

Fendi’s parent company, LVMH, has not yet named a successor, nor commented on when they might. On Thursday, however, __Silvia Fendi Venturini__took the final bow. She is the granddaughter of the house’s founder and its creative director of men’s wear, accessories, and children’s wear.

Thursday’s show notes included a statement from her: “The bond between Karl Lagerfeld and Fendi is fashion’s longest love story, one that will continue to touch our lives for years to come. I am profoundly saddened by his passing and deeply touched by his constant care and perseverance until the very end. When we called just a few days before the show, his only thoughts were on the richness and beauty of the Collection. It’s a true testament to his character. He shall be so missed.”